festival

The story

1. Latin · derived fromfēstīvus“festive”
2. Late Latin · derived fromfēstīvālis
3. Old French · derived fromfestival“festive”
4. Middle English · inherited fromfestival
5. English todayfestival

From Middle English festival (adjective), from Old French festival (“festive”), from Late Latin fēstīvālis, from Latin fēstīvus (“festive”). By surface analysis, festive + -al. Displaced native Old English frēols. The noun is shortened from festival day, from Middle English festival dai, festiuall day (“feast day, festival”).

Words from the same roots